I am not sure where it is but, I have a post around here somewhere about a talk I had with my mom about a year ago. She was sad I no longer identitified with Christianity, but encouraged me to look at aboriginal religions (her mother is aboriginal) It was a little strange.

Anyway point being, maybe there is a way you can frame it that would relate to your family. Say you are trying to get back to your ancient roots or something.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss (1904 - 1991)

Check out www.overstock.com they have alot of books on Wicca and paganism and they're fairly cheap, I got 3 books there once for like 15$ and they were brand new. Good luck with your dad, even though he says he's open minded it sounds like he isn't, on the simple fact that he won't listen to you,

SageWolf wrote: Good luck with your dad, even though he says he's open minded it sounds like he isn't, on the simple fact that he won't listen to you,

If I had a Euro for every person who has sworn black was white that they were open minded, then went of like a polaris war head when actualy coming face to face with the person, race, or creed they were proffessing to be open mindeed about, I could donate a million to Pagan Library, and not miss it.

Yeah similarly, I have a grandmother who claims to NOT be racist, but if she sees a black person walking down her street, will say she can't believe how "dark" the neighborhood has gotten in the past few years, and be unnecessarily nasty if she happens to get a black, hispanic, indian, asian, jewish, middle eastern, or even a particularly tan italian waiter or cashier serving her. But oh no, she's not racist!

However, people who deliberately play the race card annoy me. There was a girl in my school who was half-black, half-white...but a total b***h! She would wind up everyone and anyone, pupils and teachers alike, but as soon as someone spoke back to her she would say that we were racist!

I always wanted to say "No, I'd despise you if you were black, white, orange, yellow or green. You're just a nasty piece of work!"

"If you trust in yourself and believe in your dreams and follow your star...you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy. Goodbye." - Miss Tick, Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men

However, I have family like that...they were shocked when I started working with the homeless because all homeless people are lazy apparently.

No, most homeless are mentally ill. Most kids were abused and didn't want to stay there. there are some lazy/bad people but it is like that in every group. Should we stop paying healthcare in Cnaada because some people smoked. Anyway...I have to stop here because a rant is oming on.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss (1904 - 1991)

Whenever somebody accuses me of Racism, I simply tell them, "Nope you're wrong, I hate everybody equally!". They tend to look at you oddly, and say things like, that's still racism. It's fun explaining to them that so long as I hate everybody and love everybody equally, that according to the law, I'm no longer considered a Racist, I'm just considered a B***h.

Trying to create a world, even in words, is good occupational therapy for lunatics who think they're God, and an excellent argument for Polytheism. -S.M. Stirling

Kitsune wrote:According to the law, I'm no longer considered a racist, I'm just considered a b***h.

It's the lesser of two evils!

"If you trust in yourself and believe in your dreams and follow your star...you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy. Goodbye." - Miss Tick, Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men

I went to the library, they had the one book I wanted to buy, but in another branch. I found and checked out Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and a book on mythology. (I also went to the school lib. today and checked out another mythology book.)
Last night:
Dad asked what books I'd found and I showed him the mythology one. He looked it over and gave it back, then he asked what the other one was.
He sat me down for another "I hoped you wouldn't check one of these out, this stuff is bad." type talks. BUT, he let me keep it, and he's going to let me read it.
I have triumphed.... for now...

I have figured out what's happening. He thinks that I'm going to turn 'icky' and he thinks he knows best, so he's stepping in to make my choice for me. He also told me people that don't believe in the Christian god are sinners, and that I might go to...

That a small step already.
Your dad has let you make the choice But i think that you should try to talk to him from now on. He's trying to come to terms with your interests.....don't leave him in the dark (that might make him change his mind.)

Well done on winning the first skirmish Perhaps when you're done with Cunningham's book (and if you find that it represents Wicca well) you could pass it on to your Dad and ask him to read it so he'll understand why you want to study Wicca?

I agree with Katsu, now you're being open with your Dad don't lie or hide stuff from him. Obviously you're entitled to your privacy and if he doesn't ask...I wouldn't go out of my way to tell him!

"If you trust in yourself and believe in your dreams and follow your star...you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy. Goodbye." - Miss Tick, Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men

Well done on winning the first skirmish Very Happy Perhaps when you're done with Cunningham's book (and if you find that it represents Wicca well) you could pass it on to your Dad and ask him to read it so he'll understand why you want to study Wicca?

Well, he won't read the book because he "already knows enough about it to know that it's bad."
My mom, however, said (When we talked earlier today.) that hse'd be fine with me trying it to see what it's like and if I like it. One thing that she did herself... so she thinks I should be able to too.